Richard Tucker - "Ah! fuyez douce image" from "Manon"

[castodivo]

The timbre of Tucker's voice is so distinctive and just gorgeous. His French is so clear! Notice how he stays above the notes. This is a fabulous rendition and I'm unclear as why this hasn't been more celebrated from Tucker.

[steakopera]

This aria is technically very challenging even for lyric tenors. I am impressed with Tuckers refined technique with spinto voce.

[pearlmuth3]

Well you could say that it was one of the early ones 1955 his 3rd recital record the other two where in the 1940's and 1952/53 before this one Some of them are mixed on a CD re release recently and just before this one a duet record with Dorothy Kirsten 1954 singing several duets. I like the 1952/53 best called celebrated tenor arias and he also made a duet album earlier then that with Soprano Daniza Ilitsch where he sang Otello duet and Ballo with her he shares the LP with Baum who sings also

[pearlmuth3]

Interesting he did it with De Los angeles in 1953 so well but that is the only one I have on Legato Classics LCD 167-2 2 CD's I believe that is now Premiere opera so you can check his listings he has tons of stuff. ( Ed Rosen)

[ShawDAMAN]

Wonderful. One of the better studio recordings of Tucker isn't it.

[LordMgls]

Which is better?

[ShawDAMAN]

??? I don't understand your question, I'm just saying that Tucker didn't tend to record very well in studio but this one sounds very good.

[pearlmuth3]

I meant to say his faust was as wonderful as Jussi in his 53 performance in new orleans, (second comment down.)

[pearlmuth3]

His French singing never was heavily accented so the critics and fussy fans loved it. My friends who are huge bjorling fans love Tucker in French roles like his great Faust in 53' live complete in New Orleans available on a off label CD set. His French opera album on Columbia is OP but had Afriaca O par. in French, Manon, Werther, La Cid and many others, even Juive with Cabaletta from 1965 in good sound all in French of course, title was "A TREASURY OF FRENCH OPERA" stereo)

[pearlmuth3]

The sad truth is some of his best singing was in French roles, some available he was put down by purists for heavy accents yet was the greatest spinto tenor I ever heard live by far. His french roles, Carmen never recorded but he sang more often then most any and he sang a terific hoffman in 56, smason in 71 in Philly and Africana at Carneige hall in 72 complete all available from I believe Premiere opera. His FAUST in 1953 wonderful jussi on 2 CD's with di los angeles/ moscona in new orleans

[pearlmuth3]

No he never did the entire role but he sang the duet with dorothy kirsten on a duet columbia lp this was from the 1955 LP title starring richard tucker and is long op. he did sing the entire french role of hoffman at the met in 1956 with peters, stevens ansd amara and singher he sasng lescaut with tebaldi in 59 at the met complete, Never Manon and he recorded juive hilites in 74 RCA his last His french was good and he snag it very straight he sang samson and africana also live in the 70's

[sospello]

I had never heard Tucker do the French Manon, a part usually associated with a slightly lighter-voiced tenor. He is, of course, a wonderful interpreter of the Italian opera--I think he recorded the entire part with Tebaldi in the 1950's and did some memorable singing. This Des Grieux is much more ardent than most with the usual Tucker clarion highs but he does some very lovely mezza voce singing and the French diction is fine and so does not distract. Did he do the entire role?